>> * it has lost its human readability and editability
> This is not part of pickle design goals.
However, it's one of my design goals for something
better than the pickle we have now.
One benefit is that it eliminates the need for a pickle
disassembler.
Another benefit is that valid pickles can be created easily
by something other than a pickler (experiences with json
have shown this to be useful). It's nice for a random
javascript fragment or iphone app to just be able to print
a valid pickle for a particular use. It's all about loose
coupling.
Also, human readability goes hand in hand with the new
design goal for language independence. It's a lot easier
to design and test two-way communication with Java, C++,
and others if you can easily see what is in the pickler.
Raymond